Navigating The Amazing Trip Of Life With Our Amazing Triplets ... And Their Amazing Little Brother

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Day 3: It continues...

After we made it through the chaos of the NICU (I promise that eventually, I will get around to finishing the story), the first year of our children's lives were remarkably healthy. Some might argue that the reason they all remained free of any illnesses that first year was because of dumb luck and/or excellent hand washing.

I, however, choose to think that the primary reason our babies remained healthy is because I nursed all three of them. It's no mystery that breastmilk is packed full of a mother's antibodies and helps to boost a babies immune system. The fact that they were receiving this "liquid gold" from me is what - with the exception of their vaccinations - kept them entirely out of the pediatrician's office their first year of life.

I'm convinced of it.

Now, since the time I weaned our children, they've had at least eight horrible colds, three ear infections, one case of the flu, and two stomach viruses so bad - I honestly question if the end of the world is near ... or if we are the next victims of ebola. Since the time I have weaned our children - not only have they been sick ... I have been sick, too.

Several times.

Just tonight, I felt the familiar scratchy throat, itchy inner ear and headache that I know, all too well, will accompany a cold that I'll be battling, tomorrow. A cold which most likely, will last for a minimum of two weeks. I know this because I just got over one - a week ago.

Yet, each time I get the slightest inkling that the crud is afoot, I put up my dukes, BIG TIME.

I launch a full out immune defense war with 5,000 mg of Vitamin C, Zicam, Cold-Eeze, Airborne, and Emergen-C. Although, with the success I've had in my war on colds - I may as well not do anything.

A friend of mine recently recommended I start taking cod liver oil. I will be adding that to my regimen, too. Heck, at this point in the game, I'd rub eucalyptus oil all over my face, shove wheatgrass poultices up my nose and stand on my head in a steam room if I thought it would help. I cannot take being sick anymore.

I. CAN'T. TAKE. IT.

Today, the kids are still sick.

So much for thirty six hours of vomiting.

Elizabeth is the only one that seems to be on the mend, having not thrown up all day. Although, she is terribly lethargic. William and Carolyn, on the other hand, threw up at least five times and are so weak, they cannot support their own body weight. When I spoke to our pediatrician, he said that we could give it another day - or - we could take them to the Emergency Room for IV fluids. Because it was only noon - and we would much prefer to go to the hospital in the middle of the night and sit in the waiting room for six hours - we decided to give it another day.

Tonight - we're already planning to bring the kids to the hospital if they are not considerably better by tomorrow morning.

After being out of work the better part of the week, Charlie and I tried to work from the house today. We set our laptops up on the kitchen table and had a birds-eye view of the children propped up on the couch and watching "Finding Nemo" for the nine millionth time in three days. The only things that make them happy are being held, holding the balloons leftover from the Halverson birthday party, and watching TV (Once we get through this - I swear, I'm throwing the damn television out. Mark my words.)

I didn't get a lot of work completed. I spent a lot of time on the couch holding children.

When I wasn't on the couch holding children, I was working on my laptop. Holding children.

I spent a lot of time taking pictures, with the hope that it would cheer the kids up when I showed them their faces on the camera. It didn't. They'd rather be held. While holding their balloons. And watching television.

I spent a lot of time rubbing Zicam swabs in my nose, drinking Emergen-C, chewing Vitamin C tablets, gargling Listerine and hoping that the scratchy throat I have is due to the vats of acidic organic applesauce we've been consuming. While holding children.

But mostly, I spent a lot of time thinking about breastfeeding and how healthy our babies were during the time I nursed them. Which is why a solid year after I weaned our children ... I am going to start it up again.

That's right. All three of them - they're going back on the boob. But not to worry, I plan to sign them up for counseling, too.

I hope your babies are feeling better today and you didn't have to go to the hospital!

Love that you plan to bring them back to the boob! I'm still nursing my 11 month old and unfortunatly she has gotten 6 ear infections... doc told me that breastfed babies can get them too... but I'm convinced that she would get more if she weren't breastfed. It truly is liquid gold! Oh and that is awesome that you nursed all 3... I'm sure most moms of multiples wouldn't dare try!

Jen- As you know both my husband and I had the vomiting thing this last week. Yesterday, he started coughing, hacking, and blowing his nose. I practically tackled him and threw him out of the house. We've been sick ALL WINTER!!!! I swore at him if he gave it to the kids I will divorce him. I will! I'll do it!!! I CAN'T TAKE ANOTHER ILLNESS. How dare he get sick?

I take no less than 10-15 horse pills every morning in an attempt to ward of all illness. Really, I'm single-handedly keeping the supplement business going. I regularly go to Sunflower Market and talk to my personal physician, Jay-the-supplement-guy. He takes really good care of me.

Okay enough about ME. Your poor little guys look so SAD! I feel so sorry for them. (Did you know that's only spread through oral-fecal contamination? Are they eating the dog's poop?)

In the meantime, we should both start breastfeeding again. Mine never breastfed but 3 isn't too late to learn, is it?

With my girls, I was unable to breastfeed either, but with my oldest, she did get the colustrum which I'm sure even to this day (she's almost 14 now), is the reason that she's only been sick once and that was the chicken pox. With Presleigh, I pumped for a week while she was in the NICU and I didn't even get colustrum and knock on wood, we're still healthy save for one cold/ear infection that lasted 48 hrs. I suspect our healthiness is because we remain in hibernation most of the time... god help me when its time for daycare.

My Current Favorite Quote...

I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.

~William Penn

Another Favorite Quote

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." A.A. Milne (from "Winnie the Pooh")